


Everything Stands So Still When You Dance

by anneapocalypse



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Dancing, Other, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:22:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23108434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anneapocalypse/pseuds/anneapocalypse
Summary: Settle your debts, Buddy told him.Financial, personal, and whatever else. But this is not a debt. Not on either part. It's not the sort of thing one person canoweanother. Whatever shift in the balance has occurred between himself and Juno, whatever is yet to come, he can't quite see the shape of it yet.But having Juno so close—on this ship, in his life—has made it impossible to file away. Andthiscalls up that old ache in his chest, so powerful it threatens to overwhelm him.Spoilers for "Juno Steel and the Man in Glass."
Relationships: Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel
Comments: 33
Kudos: 136





	Everything Stands So Still When You Dance

**Author's Note:**

> It is extremely off brand for me to write this many anything in rapid succession, but here we are. Have some impromptu dancing in pajamas.
> 
> Set after "Man in Glass," and probably before "Tools of Rust." Definitely before ["Sensibility"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22805122) if you want to read them as continuous.
> 
> With thanks to [red violet](http://archiveofourown.org/users/deadstarsstillburn), who knows why.

_Everything stands so still when you dance_ _  
__Everything spins so fast_  
 _And the night's in a paper cup_ _  
When you want it to last_

-[Heather Nova](https://youtu.be/f6ExoQ4o2sI)

It is inevitable they'll run into each other. A lot. On a ship so small, it's bound to happen, and it does. In the common room, in the laundry room, coming out of the shower in a towel with his hair wet, just as Juno's coming in.

"Hey," Juno says, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ransom." The name still fits uncomfortably, and rolls awkwardly off Juno's lips in a way _Glass, Rose,_ even _Dauphin_ never did. But it is the name Nureyev chose, and the one he must live with, for now.

"Juno," he says with a nod.

They pass each other. They part.

They run into each other again in the galley twenty minutes later.

Peter's come for a cup of tea before bed, only to find Juno rooting through a cabinet. Peter's eyes linger on his bare feet emerging from dark green sweatpants, the way a well-worn gray t-shirt hugs his frame, before he clears his throat quietly to announce his presence and goes for the electric kettle.

Juno turns, a box of crackers in his hand. "Oh—hey, Ransom, sorry, I didn't—"

"Apologies," Peter says at the same time, "I didn't think anyone would be—"

They both stop.

"Just getting a snack," Juno says.

"Tea," Peter says.

"Little late for that, isn't it?"

"Lavender and chamomile. It helps me sleep."

"Ah. Yeah, I used to try all that stuff. Never did much for me, but hey."

Juno takes a cracker and stuffs it in his mouth, likely to avoid further obligation to speak, and so Peter busies himself with spooning tea into the ball, and then—

And then waiting for the water to boil.

When he glances up, Juno is still there.

Peter thinks a smile might flicker across his face, though in the low light he could be mistaken. "Honestly, Ransom, I probably should have figured you for a silk pajamas guy."

The truth is Peter's quite comfortable sleeping in the nude, prefers it even so long as the sheets are adequate or there are… extenuating circumstances. Communal living spaces, however, necessitate some discretion, and if you're going to wear something, it may as well be something nice.

He says none of that to Juno, however, merely replying, "I'm glad to hear I'm still able to maintain a touch of mystery."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that," Juno says, sounding a little amused. "Certainly surprised me yesterday with your dancing."

Peter tries to suppress a satisfied smile, and fails. "In that case, the feeling is mutual. You're no slouch on the dance floor yourself."

That flicker of a smile. Peter is almost certain of it this time, along with the familiar flutter in his heart. "You had a few moves on me, though."

"Ah. Probably just some Outer Rim nonsense I picked up in my travels." In truth, Nureyev had not noticed. Juno was a good follow, and he likes to think himself a strong lead. And that's what he _should_ say here. The compliment would be deserved. But what comes out of his mouth next is, "I could… show you some more, if you like. In case you should have occasion to call upon it in the future."

Juno sets down the box of crackers, and Peter finds himself steeling for the sarcastic retort. The sort of response his silly overtures would have drawn from the old Juno Steel.

Instead, Juno says, "Yeah. Sure, I'd like that."

Peter sets down his spoon.

They meet in the middle of the galley floor, both of them moving just a little too slowly. Like walking through water. And Peter finds himself wondering what the _hell_ he thinks he's doing here, but he has set this thing in motion and there is a lady looking up at him with one expectant dark eye and all he can do is clear his throat and settle his right hand at Juno's back as Juno sets his arm about Peter's shoulder.

With none of the distractions of the ballroom—no crowd, not even any music—he is so surreally aware of the soft, thin texture of Juno's shirt and the warmth of his skin coming through it, he's lucky he doesn't forget the basic box step right here and now.

"Like this," he says, finding his voice. "Left and then right, it's quick, so you'll want to keep your weight even, then again, and turn…"

But he doesn't need to explain. Juno follows his steps and guiding touch, and Peter goes silent, except to murmur, "Yes, that's it exactly."

They take a turn around the butcher block. No music, no sound at all but the low rumble of the ship's engines, and the rhythm of their footsteps nearly silent on the floor.

With each turn they've stepped a little closer, until he can feel Juno's heartbeat against his own. He breathes past Juno's ear and focuses on his steps, and if he thinks of how his hand fits into the small of Juno's back, how smoothly the lady's hips move with his, how perfect Juno feels in his arms…

_Oh, Juno. What are we going to do with ourselves?_

Because he can't do things like this without thinking about what it could mean. For himself, for Juno. For their future in the Aurinko family, and… beyond that.

 _Settle your debts,_ Buddy told him. _Financial, personal, and whatever else._ But this is not a debt. Not on either part. It's not the sort of thing one person can _owe_ another. Whatever shift in the balance has occurred between himself and Juno, whatever is yet to come, he can't quite see the shape of it yet.

 _So what are we doing right now? What are_ you _doing, Nureyev?_

But having Juno so close—on this ship, in his life—has made it impossible to file away. And _this_ calls up that old ache in his chest, so powerful it threatens to overwhelm him.

_He said he was sorry. He said he 'messed up.'_

_He was sorry to have hurt you. That doesn't mean—_

"Hey," Juno says, eyeing him, and Peter realizes with some dismay that he's been clenching his jaw. "You okay?"

He loosens his face with conscious effort and says, "Yes. Yes, I'm fine."

Is he going to be fine, now that he's allowed these old feelings out of the lockbox he had placed them in? Yet they were spilling out already. Buddy correctly called him out on that, Peter supposes, knowingly or not.

_Do not let who you were this morning, or last week, or last year, equal who you are today._

Knowingly, most likely. Peter Nureyev—or Ransom, if he must—is not one to wear his heart on his sleeve, generally speaking. But he would be lying to himself now, pretending he's at all adept at hiding how thoroughly Juno Steel undoes him.

Buddy didn't appear overly concerned about their… potential entanglements, either. Quite the contrary, in fact; if anything she seemed in favor of them.

But that is not a move Peter can make on his own. He has done enough chasing. Perhaps too much. If Juno…

Well, he'll have to do the chasing this time.

The kettle beeps. Peter leads them into a turn, and wonders how long he can pretend not to have heard it.

On the second beep, Juno's eye darts toward the counter. "Sounds like your water's ready."

"Ah," says Peter. "I'd better see to that, then."

It takes more effort than it should to extricate himself from Juno's arms, and the absence leaves him with a foolish, hollow pang.

He pours the water, dips the tea ball up and down as it steeps. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Juno return the box of crackers to the cabinet, then think better of it and take it back down again.

When Juno's gaze meets his, there's that flicker of a smile again. Once again, it could be a trick of the light. This time, Peter thinks it isn't.

"'Night, Peter," he says.

"Goodnight, Juno."

He takes his crackers. Peter watches him go, through lavender-scented steam.

END

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
